Shutdown Implications

Last night, the U.S. House and Senate failed to reach an agreement on funding, sending the U.S. government into a partial shutdown. Here’s a summary of practical implications for the GI community.

Medicare

In the short term, the Medicare program will continue largely without disruption.

Medicare claims from physicians will likely be processed and paid, based on reassurances given to organized medicine and precedents set during the 1996 government shutdown:

In 1996, Medicare continued to pay physicians and hospitals, despite the fact that Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) receive discretionary funding to process claims. MACs processed and paid claims on a credit basis for CMS, with the expectation of catching up later. However, it is unclear how long MACs would extend credit to the federal government.

NIH

Existing grants: If you have an existing NIH grant, you can continue spending from it—as long as you don’t encounter any problems. NIH’s payment management system will remain in service, but if a problem arises, no staff will be available to assist. If your grant is restricted, no staff will be available to remove that restriction. Program officers will not be available. More information from NIH.

Future grants: The NIH will not make any extramural research grants or contracts. If you have been planning to submit a proposal to NIH to meet one of the October deadlines, Grants.gov will be open, but NIH eRA Commons will be closed. Proposals uploaded to Grants.gov will be stored there, and will not be processed and validated until the shutdown ends.

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